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The original website was published
through the courtesy of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Jim Andris, Sept. 17, 2003.

Christmas
79

Dear Friends:

What a year this has been for me! It's been an intensly spiritual year.
I started out the year with classes in the School of Metaphysics. In
a chain of events too complicated to explain in a letter, I came to see
clearly that I should be baptized (which I never have been) in and join
the Metropolitan Community Church. And I was baptized at a beautiful
Easter Sunday sunrise service in Forest Park. I have since then become
more active in the church, and even was honored by being elected to the
Board of Directors recently.

But still more spiritual reality rained down upon me. I have been blessed
with six new songs of a spiritual nature. Typically, I'll awaken and
open the Bible in the night, and the passage my eyes fall on will be
transformed into a song. The last time I turned to the 23rd Psalm by
chance and set it to music.

I have also been studying the lessons of the Self-Realization Fellowship,
a spritual organization founded by an Indian guru whose mission was to
united the teachings of East and West. We have meditation group once
a week with chanting, reading from the Baghavad-Gita, and meditation.
I see no conflict between this and my Christianity; in fact, the founder
of SRF, claims there is universal truth in all great religions.

At work, I continue to enjoy my job, and consider myself lucky to have
a position in these harder times for higher eductation. I was promoted
to Associate Professor (finally) this spring. I enjoy my teaching and
occasionally supervise stdent teachers for secondary education. I gave
a well-received paper in Chicago this fall and hope to write a couple
more next year.

My travels this year were wonderful, although this is probably he end
of my wanderings for a while (I will tell you why next year.) I went
to LA during spring break to visit my brother and family and also travelled
with friend Virginia to visite friend Betty. I met them last summer when
John and I toured Europe.

Oh! Saw Mollie and Mary Gubanc, friends from Cleveland days, this summer.
Such natural good times! Wish I could share them with you.

My summer travels were fantastic. First I visited old friends John and
Michelle Keiter in Oregon. We stayed at their mountain cabin beside the
White Salmon River at the foot of Mt. Adams for a while. Fishin', blackberry
pickin' (I got sick on 'em), poker playin'. Then I went to San Francisco
where I had my suitcase stolen, but enjoyed the city for a week.

A few odds and ends. I have a radio show with a friend on KADI "The
Rock of St. Louis" called Gaytalk. The station has received a favorable
response and has asked us to continue indefinitely. (STAR!)

Finally, I spent ten days in LA, saw brother Tom and sister-in-law Dee
and the twins, Heidi and Adam (who look just like mom and dad, respectively),
old friend Myra Hausmann Kendall, with new friend Walter, who has a ranch
in Topanga Canyon and showed me the city in style. Wish you could have
seen us whirling our way through the elegant and decadent parts of the
city. Sagittarius—the decadent sign!

Speaking of Sag's, saw my old friend Tom while in Frisco. Sunset at
Land's End, dinner at Sausalito, disco at Oil Can harry's and to the
plane on time!

But, friends, all the traveling the last four years has let me see that
ol' St. Louis is home. And most of my friends, who don't get mentioned
in Christmas letters, are right here. Happiness is the arch, ragtime,
the Central West End, Martin's disco, and me.

But the best I can do is to wish you a Merry Christmas (may you find
Jesus Christ in your heart). and know that I do think of each and every
one of you. And often.